Myth and Reality of the German Autobahn
9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008
Webster Hall Auditorium
Admission: free

Autobahn is one of the few German words that has entered the English language. Many will know that there is no speed limit on these roads and that the Nazi dictatorship sponsored their initial construction. But why is Germany the only country without a speed limit on its freeways? What exactly was the role of the Nazis? How do these roads compare to others? These are some of the questions this presentation will answer.

Dr. Thomas Zeller is an associate professor of history at the University of Maryland, College Park. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Munich in 1999 and has published books and articles on the history of German technology. For this presentation, he draws on his 2007 book Driving Germany: The Landscape of the German Autobahn, 1930-1970.